Open Recommendations

Embassy Brussels should advise and brief U.S. citizens in Belgium in accordance with Department standards.

Embassy Brussels, in coordination with the Bureaus of Consular Affairs and Overseas Buildings Operations, should provide a wheelchair-accessible restroom option for consular customers.

Embassy Brussels, in coordination with the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, should bring its fire protection program into compliance with Department standards.

The U.S. Mission to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, in coordination with Embassy Brussels, should require that all residences are inspected and certified in the Post Occupational Safety and Health Officer Certification Application in accordance with Department standards.

Embassy Brussels should obtain authorization from the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations to use shipping containers for permanent storage or dismantle and remove them, in accordance with Department standards.

Embassy Brussels should bring its contracting officer's representative program into compliance with Department standards.

The U.S. Mission to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, in coordination with Embassy Brussels, should submit its living quarters expenditure reports in accordance with Department standards.

Embassy Brussels, in coordination with the Bureaus of Budget and Planning, the Comptroller and Global Financial Services, European and Eurasian Affairs, and Global Talent Management, should implement a plan to fully fund the locally employed staff defined benefit pension plan to comply with Belgium's labor laws and address long-term funding concerns.

Embassy Brussels should cease paying for residential internet for vacant residences that do not have an alarm system connected to internet, in accordance with Department standards.

Embassy Brussels should categorize, assess, and authorize its locally developed applications in accordance with Department standards.

Embassy Brussels should replace the unauthorized wireless access points operating within its facilities with an approved wireless network.

Embassy Brussels, in coordination with the U.S. Mission to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, should obtain proper approval for its video conferencing system in accordance with Department standards.

Embassy Brussels, in coordination with the U.S. Mission to the European Union and the U.S. Mission to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, should implement a records management program that complies with Department standards.

We recommend the DHS Chief Financial Officer ensure FEMA conducts payment integrity testing of the Funeral Assistance program.

We recommend the DHS Chief Financial Officer ensure FEMA assesses and conducts payment integrity testing, as applicable, for any program with COVID-19 funding that meets the Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019 threshold.

We recommend the DHS Chief Financial Officer ensure DHS’ Risk Management and Assurance Division follows OMB requirements for programs that do not comply with the Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019, as stated in Appendix C of OMB Circular A-123.

Establish, document, and implement a process for the Department to track contractor employees' PIV cards and record the dates the cards are collected and deactivated.

Designate in writing points of accountability for overseeing the entirety of contractor employee PIV card collection and deactivation processes.

Update or supplement the DOT PIV Card Program Order to define "promptly" in all uses throughout the Order.

Develop and implement required annual training for all staff involved in contractor employee PIV card processes and a procedure to verify the training has occurred. The training attendees should include all staff listed in the DOT PIV Card Program Order who could potentially be involved and anyone else an individual OA assigns to this task.

Update or supplement the DOT PIV Card Program Order to address the deactivation process in all instances where PIV cards are no longer needed. This should include establishing the accountable officials as well as concrete metrics when deactivation should occur from when the card is no longer needed.

Prioritize the inspection of public housing properties that were (1) not included in the NSPIRE demonstration but were identified as high priority under the Center's Big Inspection Plan and (2) approved to participate under the NSPIRE demonstration that the Center was unable to inspect by March 31, 2023.

Implement adequate policies, procedures, and controls to ensure that public housing properties will be inspected within required timeframes. Status

We recommend that the Office of Refugee Resettlement strengthen oversight of transfers between care provider facilities by requiring that all transfer documentation be maintained in the UC Portal and by developing procedures for tracking and reviewing that documentation.

The Commissioner, Small Business/Self-Employed Division, should continue to identify new tax accounts with a Social Security tax deferral at least through Calendar Year 2024 to ensure that all unpaid deferrals are identified for collection as appropriate.